A Howling Winds Christmas
by Villain in Glasses
Summary: A short Christmas story using the OC characters of my Howling Winds story. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays Everyone!


Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays Everyone! I wanted to write a Christmas special for my OC guild fan fiction based on the characters that have debuted so far without disturbing the continuation, so I present this non-canon Howling Winds side story (if that makes sense, if not then …) I hope you enjoy it.

This story was the result of watching Christmas specials for an entire day so there may be more than a few references to or lines from Christmas related programming.

Be prepared for parody, 4th wall breaking and any other things I decide to add.

And without further ado

XXXXX

**Special Chapter: A Howling Winds Christmas**

Tiny flakes of snow fell from the heavens, drifting gently at a slight angle as the force of the mellow breeze dictated. Under the effects of the daylight sun, the snowfall had a glittering appearance.

The flakes of crystalline ice blanketed the city of Edelweiss. The chimneys of all the homes released dark smoke into the morning sky as the residents tried to keep warm.

Amongst the hundreds of buildings in Edelweiss a single one stood out. The former inn now turned guild hall was the only building not adorned with Christmas decorations.

Katherine sat at the front of the guild reading a letter she had received from the local child welfare. She felt her heart strings tug as she read the letter. The Edelweiss orphanage had one child, one child who had not been adopted. An eight year old girl, the young mage was also a fan of the guild. In city where magic was still quite foreign, finding the girl a family proved difficult. The little girl would have to spend Christmas alone at the community centre.

The letter was a request for volunteers to help throw a Christmas party for the little girl so that she wouldn't feel so lonely on Christmas. With the letter was a picture of the little girl named Ariel; she had black hair tied up into two large pigtails. She wore a red dress and pink shoes.

The thing that broke Katherine's heart was a conversation between Ariel and a social worker that the letter contained. The little girl had asked whether Santa did exist and when the social worker asked why Ariel wanted to know the little girl responded with if Santa did exist he must hate her because he never visited her after she wrote him letters for the past few years.

After reading the letter Katherine set about recruiting her guild comrades to help in this matter. She read out the letter for the guild to hear and managed to get people to assist in the cause.

XXXXX

Just north of Edelweiss in the thick forest, Styles and his wolf Nina trekked. The wolf looked at Styles pleadingly. Finally Styles gave in and responded to Nina.

"I'm sorry Nina but I'm not doing a Christmas special, you're not going to find me dressing up in red suit." Styles declared as he continued his hiking.

XXXXX

It was afternoon on Christmas Eve, Katherine, Faith, Jinx, Alaska, Elizabeth, Julia and Amagi were busy running around the guild hall setting up their surprise. Kori had gone to escort Ariel to the guild hall for the party while the other members were unexplainably missing.

A large bright green Christmas tree adorned with lights and decorations had found its way into the middle of the guild hall. Katherine walked around the tree adjusting everything to make it perfect.

There was a two-piece wreath to adorn the double-door entry. Faith was carefully to set it as Kipper hung bells overhead.

Jinx was busy lighting Christmas lanterns all over the guild, the candles in the lanterns were scented to give off Christmassy aroma like pine and candy.

Alaska hung tinsel and long garlands of popcorn around the guild hall, draping them wherever she could. Amagi cut out paper snowflakes and snowmen which Julia and Elizabeth used to decorate the tables.

There came a knock from the door and everyone got into positions. The door opened and Kori led Ariel into the guild. The cute little girl was surprised and excited at the layout before her.

"Merry Christmas!" Everyone cheered to greet the young girl.

It didn't take long as they set up a large Christmas Eve dinner and sat together to enjoy it.

"This is…" Ariel mumbled at a loss for words.

"Here's to a year gone by well." Elizabeth cheered trying to spark the mood.

"I don't really know what to do for Christmas." Katherine admitted hoping one of the other girls took over.

"My family always used to have a special Christmas cake but I guess that's for after dinner." Alaska spoke up.

"We could sing carols or do a Christmas skit or drink eggnog?" Julia suggested holding a Christmas book.

"Christmas movies are good, there are like a ton of them." Faith added.

"We could go outside and make snowmen." Jinx shrugged.

"Or snow angels." Amagi added.

Before the awkward conversation of what to do could continue, there was a large commotion outside the guild. It sounded like someone had fallen of the roof, now Weiss started to bark loudly. The women all rushed outside to see what it was.

They found a figure clad in red with white beard and red pointy hat lying in the snow. It was clear the person was trying to look like Santa.

Ariel's face seemed to light up as the gears in her head turned and ideas on who the person was clicked.

"Ho Ho Ho!" The figured cheered as he picked himself up acting like nothing happened.

"Sou…" Jinx mumbled under her breathed.

Sou had tried to climb up onto the roof but lost his grip and fallen because of ice.

"Merry Christmas!" Sou cheered trying as hard as he could to change his voice and accent.

Before Sou could continue another figure clad in red leapt down from the roof and almost landed on top of him but Sou was quick enough to dodge. This time it was Raphael dressed in his more military version of a Santa suit with red camo.

"Have you all been good little boys and girls?" Raphael asked trying and failing at a Santa impression.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Sou demanded to know in a hushed voice. "This isn't like you."

"This is non-canon so for the sake of plot I can be out of character." Raphael retorted in a hushed tone.

"Two Santa's?" Elizabeth face palmed.

Sou and Raphael were now pushing shoulders against each other trying to stand tall as Santa Claus.

"There are two of them?! What's going on?" Ariel exclaimed rocked by the turn of events.

"Eh, well you see…" Kori tried to explain but couldn't think of a reason.

"What were you two thinking, she's scared now." Faith sighed to herself.

"There could never be two Santa's one must be a fake." Ariel accused. "But why?"

"One must be a thief who disguised himself as Santa to rob innocent people." Amagi quickly said to give the little girl's theory some credibility.

"That must be it!" Ariel nodded.

Sou and Raphael were about to launch into a verbal tirade about who was the real Santa when smoke cut between, forcing them apart. The smoke then took a human outline and formed into Damone. Damone was dressed as Santa as well but had also stuffed a pillow into his suit to give him a belly.

"Christmas is a time about love and peace not fighting." Damone tried to calm down his fellow Santa.

"Another one! Someone call the police!" Ariel shouted.

"Now, now, let's calm down and figure out who the real Santa is first." Alaska tried to calm the shocked girl while glaring at Damone.

"I'm the real Santa Claus." Raphael scoffed.

"Please, since when does Santa use camo? Clearly I'm the real Santa." Sou retorted.

"Guys, I'm clearly Santa. I have a little round belly that shakes like a bowl full of jelly." Damone claimed victory patting his pillow.

"All of you are wrong!" Hitomi declared charging into the fray sword drawn.

Hitomi wore her red battle kimono but added on a Santa hat.

"A lady Santa with a sword?" Ariel gasped.

"Maybe that's Mrs Claus?" Julia tried to rationalise.

"No, I am Santa!" Hitomi declared.

Julia's attempt to ease Ariel had just been shot down by Hitomi who looked determined to take the mantle of Santa.

"So many Santa's." Ariel looked around.

"Wait, guys, I'm here too." Caitria shyly admitted finally joining.

Caitria wore a red spaghetti strap dress trimmed in white faux fur, a Santa hat, black boots and red gloves.

"You're wearing a Halloween custom." Hitomi whispered to Caitria.

"I know, it was the only one I could get last minute." Caitria admitted.

Kazuya's laughter cut through the night air as he marched proudly passed all the Santa's and towards Ariel.

"I beat you all." Kazuya grinned.

Kazuya was dressed to the nines in a green fleece jacket accented in gold with long, tight yellow pants and green pointed shoes. On his head he had a cone style elf hat.

"You're an elf…" Ariel stated plainly.

"Elf…" Kazuya mumbled as Faith pulled him aside and explained to him where he had gone wrong.

A bolt of lightning struck near the gathered Santa and Merric appeared. He didn't even bother dressing up; he wore his regular clothes with a red Santa hat.

"Santa has arrived." Merric stated to the unimpressed crowd.

"One Santa after the other! I can't tell who's real or fake anymore." Ariel trembled as she watched on.

"Actually, I think you can eliminate a few right off the bat." Alaska tried to explain but Ariel was too engrossed in what was happening.

"Will the real Santa Claus please stand up? I repeat, will the real Santa Claus please stand up?" Julia tried to make a joke. "We're gonna have a problem here…"

"We're already standing." Raphael retorted.

"I think Ariel is going to get confused if this continues, so will the real Santa announce himself." Katherine spoke hoping the gathered Santa would come to a consensus amongst themselves.

"I am Santa!" they all announced in their best Groot impersonation.

"I know, let's have a contest to decide who the real Santa is." Kori suggested.

"That's perfect; we can have Ariel be the judge." Amagi agreed.

"What do you say Ariel?" Faith asked.

"Yes! I'm ready!" Ariel cheered.

Sou and Raphael stared each other down trying to intimidate the other out of the upcoming contest. Damone lit up a cigarette but quickly tossed it aside when Ariel's eyes almost popped out of her head at the sight. Hitomi practiced her blade work expecting the contest to be some sort of fight. Caitria tried not to be the centre of attention slightly embarrassed by her outfit. Kazuya had somehow managed to sneak his way back amongst the Santa despite being an elf. Merric just stood there looking uninterested.

"What does Christmas mean to you?" Ariel asked boldly.

The Santa all looked at each other not sure who would take the first crack at the question.

"Lightning Santa?" Ariel pointed at Merric.

"I don't see what the big deal is just. People just end up busy with their twinkle lights and mistletoe and carols and roast beast and frim franglers and zoob zooblers..." Merric prattled on.

The hairs on Alaska's neck stood up as she sensed what was coming next. She looked over at the strained smile on Katherine's face. Alaska quickly covered Ariel's eyes as a plate flew out of the guild at Merric.

"Bah!" said Merric as the plate connected and he toppled over, "Humbug!"

Alaska released the girl when confirmed that the scene before was blood free and K rated.

"What happened to Lightning Santa…" Ariel questioned when she saw him down.

"He was feeling tired and decided to have a nap before he said anything else unnecessary." Katherine smiled.

"I don't know what Christmas means to anyone else but I think it is about how people's lives can touch one another." Raphael spoke up.

"It's a time for making memories with the people in your life." Damone smiled.

"It's a time to be to be thankful for friends, neighbours, and family." Hitomi spoke.

"The true meaning of Christmas isn't about want, or material things. Rather, it comes from here." Caitria placed her hand over her heart.

"What it comes down to in the end is love." Kazuya nodded.

"And lastly in the North Pole, it's recognised as the day Santa achieved reindeer-powered flight." Sou joked.

"That's so much better than the answer about presents the other kids used to give." Ariel tried to laugh as tears formed.

"Speaking of presents." Merric groaned sitting up as he pulled a small wrapped box out of his jacket. "Santa is supposed to deliver them."

"How'd he get up so fast?" Elizabeth asked no one in particular.

"It's convenient to the plot." Amagi whispered to which Elizabeth nodded.

The other Santa then realized that they had forgotten to get presents and looked embarrassed because of it.

"Can I open it?" Ariel asked as she walked over and accepted it.

"Sure." Merric nodded getting to his feet.

"It's picture album, an empty picture album." Ariel looked puzzled as she stared at it.

"If it's empty then that just means you have to fill it with memories, memories that you'll make with your friends and family for the years to come." Merric replied.

"I don't have a family." Ariel responded.

"As long as you have people that care about you, you'll have a family. There are plenty of those people here in Edelweiss." Katherine assured as she kneeled down and lifted the girls chin.

"I think I know what I want the first memory in my album to be. I want it to be my best Christmas ever with Howling Winds." Ariel looked around at everyone including the Santa's.

"You knew we were part of the guild?" Hitomi responded.

"I've seen your pictures in the papers. Did you guys forget? I'm your biggest fan." Ariel explained. "Thank you for trying to give me a memorable Christmas."

All the wizards gather near the Christmas tree in the guild with Ariel in the middle. Katherine had set a timed camera on the bar counter to take the picture as they all huddled together to fit in the shot.

"Oh and before I get interrupted again, the rest of my answer for your question was, the meaning of Christmas is the idea that Christmas has meaning. And it can mean whatever we want." Merric whispered to Ariel before the camera went off.

XXXXX

A few days later…

The loud yell of the coachman and the harness pulling tight was followed by the clop of horses' hooves but none of this could wake the sleeping Ariel. The young girl rested peacefully with her head on the lap off her new mother as her new father looked on.

Two kind and caring people who had not been able to have children had found Ariel to be perfect; the couple were looking for a newborn but could resist the little girl.

The entire guild had gone through the process of vetting the couple and found them to be everything they said they were and better.

Ariel clutched her picture album tightly, it only had one photo in it but she was determined to add more.

**The End … Until next year**


End file.
